It has become popular to mount suitcases on rollers to enable them to be rolled across a surface, such as the ground or a floor. Such suitcases are typically provided with a handle to enable the user to pull or push the case on the rollers.
One popular style of wheeled suitcase includes rollers or wheels mounted on the rear portion of the bottom of the case. The handle is mounted on the top of the rear portion of the case. When at rest, the case rests on the wheels and one or more legs. The user grips the handle and tilts the suitcase to an inclined position in order that the weight of the case is supported by the wheels and by the user's force on the handle. The case is then rolled across the surface. That type of configuration enables superior control over maneuvering of the case.
One disadvantage of that type of rolling suitcase is that when it is being pulled, at least a portion of the weight of the suitcase must be supported by the user. Another disadvantage is that luggage with two or four fixed wheels must be picked up by the user in order to negotiate a relatively large step. A two wheel dolly, for example, needs to be dragged up the step backwards, which may scratch the step.
A cart having four fixed wheels, such as a trolley or shopping cart, effectively bears the total load of all contents with the user providing sufficient force to overcome rolling resistance. Disadvantages are that carts are generally relatively heavy, and do not collapse or otherwise compact to a smaller size.
Application Ser. No. 08/397,687 now abandoned discloses another type of rolling suitcase in which a first pair of rollers is mounted at the junction of a rear panel and the bottom of a wall member of the suitcase. This first pair of rollers is mounted to support at least a portion of the weight of the suitcase when in the upright, or at-rest, position. A single, relatively narrow bracket is hingedly attached to a rigid portion of the rear panel. A support stay is mounted between the bracket and the rear panel to enable deployment and retraction of a second pair of rollers which is located on the bracket. The support stay may be hingedly secured to the rear panel or to the bracket. A plurality of stops may be provided to enable the deployment of the second pair of rollers to various positions. Disadvantages are cost, the ease of switching between the deployed and retracted positions, and the relatively small distance between the second pair of rollers with respect to the distance between the first pair of rollers.
There remains a need for a low cost, user-friendly, compact, wheel-mounted suitcase that has superior maneuvering around barriers, in which the weight of the suitcase is entirely supported by the wheels of the case when in a pulling/pushing position.